Biography

Laura is an advocate for Earth observations in coastal regions pushing for dynamic mission architectures and interdisciplinary research. She recently led the Agency wide effort to launch the Earth Information Center at NASA HQs, a physical and virtual space to demonstrate how NASA data can improve lives in the face of disasters, environmental challenges, and our changing world. Laura additionally serves as an Associate Program Manager in NASA’s Earth Science Technology Office, leading the development and strategic definition of emerging technologies for the advancement of Earth Science. Laura’s expertise lies in systems thinking and complex system design. Prior to joining NASA, Laura served as an aviation officer in the U.S. Army commanding an aviation maintenance company, flying more than 1,000 hours in combat as an air mission commander and UH60A/L Blackhawk maintenance test pilot, and later serving as an operational test officer for the AH-64E Apache helicopter. Laura came to NASA as a Presidential Management fellow. She received her Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and Master of Science in Geological Sciences, Coastal Dynamics from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.